Valve



Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE Lee R. Titcomb,New Haven, Conn. Application June 29, 1932, Serial No. 619,818

3 Claims.

Myinvention relates to a new and improved valve.

One of the objects of my. invention is to provide a new and improvedvalve which shall be of simple and cheap construction and which willhave great, delicacy and certainty of operation.

Another object of my invention is to produce a control valve which shallbe useful in controlling the operations of various mechanisms such asglass-forming presses, grinding machinery, machinery for bending,working and generally shaping metal and other types of machinery.

Fig. l is a top view.

Fig. 2 is an elevation partially in section.

Fig. 3 is a view which corresponds to Fig. 2, showing the parts inposition when. the valve opens the inlet of the apparatus.

The valve control device is connected by means of the pipe I to anysuitable source of air or other fluid under pressure, said source beingconnected to the inlet 2. The air-line pipe I is connected by means of asuitable connecting pipe 3 to a chamber 4 which is provided with aball-valve 5, which is provided with a suitable seat at the inner end ofabushing 6 which is threaded into the inlet end of the wall of thechamber 4. The chamber 4 is also provided with an outlet pipe 1 whichisconnected to the press or to the other mechanism, so that the press orother mechanism is operated by the compressed air or the like which issent through the pipe 'I. In the position shown in Fig. 2, theball-valve is in its closing position, so that the supply of powerto thepress or the like is cut off. The wall of the chamber. 4 is alsoprovided with an exhaust opening 8 so that the air can be exhausted fromthe press or other power device when the ball-valve 5 is in its closingposition. The leakage of air from the exhaust port 8 can be controlledby the resilient valve member 9, whose position is adjusted by means ofthe adjustment screw 10.

The ball-valve 5 is held in its closing position 4 by a plunger orpiston rod II, which fits in a piston-like manner within thecorresponding portion ofthe Wall of the chamber 4, in order to producean air-tight fit. The plunger 1 I can be pushed inwardly by means of therod l2 of a piston l4, which moves slidably within a cylinder IS. A plugor cover I6 is connected by threading to the wall of the cylinder l5,and this plug 15 provides a bearing for the piston rod l2.

.A compression spring II has one end abutting 55' he plus l6,-andtheother end of said spring bears against the piston l4 so that saidspring I! tends to move the piston rod l2 to the left of the positionshown in Fig. 2. It will be. noted that the piston rod l2 has aninclined or cam part l8, and a cylindrical part 19. When the spring I!is free to operate, the piston rod I2 is moved to the left until theroller 20 contacts with the cylindrical portion H] of the piston rod l2and the head 2| of the piston rod I2 acts as a stop to prevent thefurther movement of the piston 10 I4, because said head 2| then abutsthe roller 20. The roller 20 is turnably connected to the lower end of apiston rod 22, which is suitably connected to a piston 23, whichisslidably mounted within a cylinder 24. The outer end of the piston rod22 fits loosely within the corresponding portion of the inner wall ofthe cylinder 24, so that a bearing is provided, but the fit is notair-tight. A compressionspring 25 has its lower end abutting the taperedportion of the inner wall of the cylinder 24 so that said compressionspring 25 tends to raise the piston 23 until the roller 20 rides on thecam portion l8 of the piston rod l2.

,The'air-line pipe I is connected to the cylinder l5,

and a needle-valve 26 is provided in order to regulate the admission ofcompressed air, water under pressure, or the like, into the, cylinderl5. The needle-valve 26 controls a port 21, which communicates with anoutlet or exhaust port-'28, said communication being oontrolledrby aball- 0 valve 29. In the position of the parts shown in ,Fig, 2; theball valve29 shuts ofi communication betweenthe ports 21 and28. The ball29 can be manually forced into the closing position shown in Fig. 2 bymeans of a pin having a head 29a. Said pin has a suitable bearing in aplug 30 which is suitably threaded into the adjacent end of theextension of the cylinder l5. A compression spring 3| has one endabutting an extension of the head of the plug 30 and the other end ofsaid 40 compression spring 3| abuts an enlargement of said control pin.Hence, said spring 31 normally holds the control pin in a position tothe left of that shown in Fig. 2, so that the ball 29 then moves awayfrom its seat, but without obstructing the outlet port 28.

The operation of the device is as follows:--

When the air supply isconnected to the inlet 2, which can be done byopening a suitable main valve, the pistonrod I2 is to the left of thepos'ition shown in Fig. 2, so that the roller 20 contacts with thecylindrical portion H] of the piston rod l2, and the piston 23 is initsupper position The air pressure can then pu'shthe ball-valve 5 away fromthe positionshown in Fig. 2, be-

cause the plunger I I can then be moved outwardly or to the left. Ifdesired, the plunger II can be made integral with or it can be suitablyconnected to the head 2|. When the ball-valve 5 falls away from theposition shown in Fig. 2, it falls upon and it closes the exhaust port8. The full air supply is then sent through the pipe I to the mechanismto be operated. The air which enters the cylinder I5 can pass throughthe port 21 and out through the port 28, because the spring 3| holds thecontrol pin in such position that the ball-valve 29 can fall away fromits seatbut without closing the exhaust port 28.

When it is. desired to stop the operation of the press or othermechanism, the pin can be pushed by any suitable means inwardly. Whenthe ballvalve 29 is held in the position shown in Fig. 2,

the compressed air which enters through the passage 21 then urges thepiston I4 and the piston rod I2 to the position shown in Fig. 2, so thatthe compressed air which enters the cylinder 24 through the inlet 32,-isfree to downwardly push the piston 23 against the force of thecompression spring 25. The pressure which is thus exerted by V theroller assists in'forcing the piston rod I2 and the plunger II to theright, although this additional force is not necessary. The ball-valvepart of the mechanism which is 5 is thus forced to the closing positionshown in Fig. 2,'so that compressed air is no longer supplied to thechamber 4 and the air can leak out of the chamber 4 and out of theoperating parts of the mechanism, through the controlled exhaust port 8.The operation of the press or thelike can therefore be regulated withgreat delicacy.

' The plunger I I is held in the position shown in Fig. 2 until thesupply of compressed air to the pipe line I is discontinued, becausethe'pressure of the roller 20 keepsthe ball-vave 5 in the clos-, ingposition shown in Fig. 2. Hence, even if the ball-valve 29 is allowed tomove away from' the closing position shown in Fig. 2, so that the air.

can leak out of the cylinder I5, there is sufiicient air pressure in thecylinder 24 to prevent air from being supplied through the pipe .1. Thepiston against the ball-valve 5 is insufiicient to move 7 the piston rodI2 to the left of the position shown in Fig. 2. Hence, the parts remainin the position shown in Fig. 2 even if the ball-valve 29 is away fromits seat. When the supply of compressed air or other fluid underpressure to the pipe I is discontinued, the -air within the chamber 4leaks out of the opening or port 8 so that the moving being controlledis moved back to its initial position. When the pressure within thecylinder has been sufliciently lowered, the spring 25 raises the piston23 to its upper position and'the spring I1 then moves the piston I4. andthe rod I2 to its initial position, in which the roller 20 contacts withthe cylindrical portion I9 of the. piston rod I2.

Air under pressure or the like can then be again supplied to theair-line I. I

Experience has shown that the method of control specified herein is ofgreat delicacy and accuracy, especially if it is desired to uniformlypress articles made of glass, such as lenses and the like.

For convenience, the valve 5 can be designated as the pressure controlvalve, the piston rod I2 can be designated as the actuating device ormeans for the pressure-control valve 5, and valve 29 can be designatedas the pilot valve, and the cylinder 24 and its associated parts can bedesignated as the retaining means for holding the pressure-control valve5 in its operative position.

While I have shown a complete combination of working parts, it is clearthat the invention embraces numerous valuable sub-combinations. whichcould be used independently of the complete device herein. 7

I claim:-- 7

1. A valve control device for a machine to be operated by fluidpressure, said device comprising a pipe adapted to be connected to asource of fluid under pressure, aflrst chamber connected to said pipeand having an inlet port and an outlet port, the outlet port beingadapted to be connected to the machine, said first chamber having amovable valve adapted to close said inlet'port and movable away fromsaid inlet port under the fluid pressure, a second chamber connected tosaid pipe-line,"fluid-operated means in saidsecond chamber for retainingsaid valve in closing position, the eifective force of saidfluid-operated means sufliciently exceeding the efiective pressure onsaid valve so that said valve is held in the closing position until thesupply of fluid under pressure to said pipe is discontinued, andactuating means for forcing said valve to the closing position, saidactuating means being fluid-actuated and being located in a thirdchamber which is connected to said pipe, said third chamber including anexhaust port, and a valve for controlling said exhaust port of the thirdchamber.

2. A valve control device for a machine to be operated by fluidpressure, said device comprising a'pipe adapted to be connected to asource of fluid. under pressure, a first chamber connected to said pipeand having an inlet port and an outlet port, the outlet port beingadapted to be connected to the machine, said first chamber having amovable valve adapted to close said inlet port and movable away fromsaid inlet port under the fluid pressure, a second chamber connected tosaid pipe-line, fluid-operated means in said second chamber forretaining said valve in closing position, said fluid-operated meansincluding a piston which abuts an inclined wall of a rod which isadapted to move said valve to its closing position, the eifective meanssufliciently exceeding'the effective pressure force of saidfluid-operated operative position until the supply of fluid underpressure to said pipe is discontinued, and actuating means forforcingsaid valve to the operative position, said first chamber having exhaustmeans controlled by said valve. v

3. A valve control device for a machine to be operated by fluidpressure, said device comprising a pipe adapted to be connected to'asource of fluid under pressure, a first chamber connected'to said pipeand having an inlet port and an outlet port, the outlet port beingadapted to be connected to the machine,.said first chamber having amovable valve adapted to closesaid inlet port and movable away from saidinlet port under the fluid pressure, a plunger'slidably located in saidfirst chamber and adapted to be moved inwardly to force said valve tothe closing position, said plunger having a beveled part and an adjacentcylindrical part, to said pipe and having a piston which is cona firstcylinder connected to said pipe and having nected to said plunger, saidsecond cylinder hava first piston having a rod adapted to press upon ingan exhaust, and a movable pilot valve adapted said beveled part to holdthe plunger in a posito control said exhaust, the force of said firsttion in which it maintains the valve in its closing piston against saidbeveled part being suflicient to position, said rod pressing upon theadjacent hold said plunger in its operative position until cylindricalpart of said plunger when the plunger the supply of fluid to said pipeis discontinued. is out of the position in which it holds said valve inclosing position, a second cylinder connected LEE R. TITCOMB.

